The river press., 1887-09-28
A REMONSTRANCE.

One of the best remonstrances against
the abolition of the car load rate and sub
stitution of the hundred pound unit which
we have yet seen published was read be-
fore the Interstate commerce commission
| by Mr.. Geo. c. Baker, of Des Moines.
Iowa. The following synopsis is worthy
of thoughtful and careful perusal
A committee appointed by the associa-
| tion of lobbers and manufacturers of the
Mississippi and Missouri valleys in con-
vention at Minneapolis and directed to
prepare paper showing the common in
terests of the western manufacturers and
the agricultural interest begs leave to re-
port. We assume that it is the best in
terest of every city and community, as
we'll as of the agricultural interests of the
entire country, that the manufacturers of
the country should be so distributed as to
be brought into as close proximity with
the producers as possible. There is not
city, barely town of any importance,
with any degree of enterprise, that will
not gladly welcome and assist, SO far as
practicable, in inducing manufacturers to
locate in their midst This fact is proba-
BILE, and the reasons may be stated in a
few words.
First The wealth and prosperity of
such a community is increased. Every
artisan or laboring man represents at least
three persons. These persons form a part
of the community. They build houses,
increase the traffic in merchandise and |
consume the products of the soil. These
are some of the main elements of pros
perity and success. The more of the arti-
cles used or consumed near the place of
production the greater is the per cent. of
saving both to the producers and consum-
ers, and consequently the greater is the
prosperity and the more rapid is the de-
velopment Of the community so favored |
AS an illustration, the Iowa farmer raises
the produce for the market. Ii he can
find market he invariably receives a bet
ter remuneration for his labor than by
reaching market over many miles of
So with the purchaser.
If the article wanted can be manufactured
near by he will naturally buy the cheaper
than if the article pays a large per cent.
of the cost in transportation.
Second-Our social relations are natural
factors in our progress. By the accumu-
lation of large numbers of laborers, me-
artisans in the large manufac-
turing districts, discord, discomfort and
anarchism prevail. Were the manufac-
turing interests more generally distributed
this would be greatly lessened.
Assuming, then, that it is to the best
interests of the manufacturing interests
Of the country should be generally dis
we are brought to consider the
influence the transportation problem bears
On the subject. We cannot but conclude
that large per cent. Of the transporta-
tion companies are disposed to favor the
Capitalization of these interests at the
large terminal centers. The longer haul
Of both the manufactured article to the
consumer as well as the product of the
farm to the manufacturing districts, nat
urally increases the business of the roads
and makes more remunerative the invest
ments in these enterprises. 1t can there
lore be assumed that the railroads will
use every advantage to the consummation
Of this object
The difference in the car load rate and
The greater the loss than the car load rate
IS the measure of equalization to great
extent between the eastern and western
trade. The result would be that all traf
ic would be done on higher scale, and
5he farmer, the producer, would suffer
hereby. They would have to pay more ;
or their purchases and take less for their
'ale. The manufactures would of necesi- ,
y locate at the larger centers. The small
owns would languish and the general
OF the country would be much
etarded